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Odin
Odin Odin, Norse as Óðinn or Woden is the chief ruler of the gods and leader of the Æsir (the main pantheon of deities) in Norse mythology.(Mackenzie 1912, p. 21) He is a god associated with war, wisdom, sovereignty, magic, shamanism, poetry, and the dead. Odin is compared to Mercury by Tacitus. Etymology His name came from Old Norse "Óðinn", Old English "Wôden", Old Saxon "Wôdan", Old High German "Wôtan" which all came from Proto-Germanic "*Wōđanaz" which means "Master of Ecstacy". His name is also related to "Óðr" which means "Divine Madness", "frantic", "furious", "vehement", "eager", as a noun "mind, feeling" and also "song, poetry"; Orchard (1997) gives "the frenzied one." Names Background According to the fourth verse of the poem Voluspa on the Poetic Edda, Borr is the father of Odin, his mother being Bestla. Odin also has two brothers, Vili and Ve. He is depicted as tall, old, and wise. He has a long white beard, and he broods deeply over the mysteries of life and death.(Mackenzie 1912, p. 21) He sacrificed his eye in his youth to drink the magic mead from the Well of Mimir.(Mackenzie 1912, p. 21) Odin is said to summon kings and heroes who die in battle to Valhalla, where they spent their time feasting and fighting, ready to defend Asgard in the event of attack.(Willis 1996, p. 196) Odin teaches that there must be self-sacrifice so that wisdom and power may be obtained.(Mackenzie 1912, p. 22) Odin is killed by the wolf Fenrir at the end of the world. His son Vidar rips the wolf apart, avenging his father's death. Odin was portrayed by Anthony Hopkins on the 2011's Marvel Entertainment's feature film Thor.(Thor, 2011 film) Equipment Gungnir In Old Norse, it means "the swaying one." It is the lance of the god Odin. It is made of Yggdrasil's sacred ash and Odin wrote his magic runes on its tip. According to Prose Edda, it was created by the Dvergr known as the Sons of Ivaldi under supervision of the master blacksmith dvergr Dvalin. It is described as a lance that is so well balanced that it never misses and will always strike its target when thrown, regardless of the skill and strength of the wielder. Crossbow It was also said that Odin had a crossbow that could fire ten arrows at once, each hitting separate targets. Draupnir From Old Norse which means "The Dripper," it is a gold ring worn by Odin. It has the ability to multiply itself by letting eight new rings 'drip' from it every ninth night, each one of the same size and weight as the original. It was forged by the dvergr brothers Brokkr and Eitri. Sleipnir From Old Norse which means "The Slipper," it is a grey eight-legged horse owned by the god Odin. It is identified as the best of all horses. It was given to him by Loki. Huginn and Munnin Huginn came from Old Norse which means "Thought", while Munnin means "Memory" or "Mind." They are a pair of ravens that fly all around the world to bring information back to Odin. Hliðskjálf It is the high seat or throne of Odin which allows him to see through all realms. In Popular Culture Portrayal File:Odin in Thor.jpg|Anthony Hopkins Thor (2011) File:Odin in Almighty Thor.jpg|Kevin Nash Almighty Thor Odin-Xena Warrior Princess.jpg|Alexander Petersons Xena Warrior Princess In Video Games Odin.png|Odin in Smite Odin Valkyrie Profile.jpg|Odin with Gungnir in Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth Odin9.jpg|Odin from Age of Mythology Family See Also External Links http://norse-mythology.org/gods-and-creatures/the-aesir-gods-and-goddesses/odin/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odin Notes References * World Mythology by Roy Willis * TEUTONIC MYTH AND LEGEND by Donald A. Mackenzie es:Odín Category:Norse Mythology Category:Norse gods